Cap design



Feb. 19, 1963 R. N. BREGENZER CAP DESIGN Filed Deo. 30.

m@ m Nz m E N R wf o IWW. n 5 A r United States Patent O 3,077,607 C? DESGN Robert N. Bregenzer, Chicago, lll., assigner to Soboro Sons Company, Chicago, ill., a corporation of Illinois Filed Dec. 30, 1960, Ser. No. 79,628 2. Ciaims. (Ci. 2--172) This invention relates to caps and, more particularly to a cap having an attractive appearance and whose unique construction provides the wearer with adequate protection under the harshest weather conditions.

In accordance with this invention, a cap of the type known in the trade as ski caps is provided which is warm and comfortable and which also has a neat and attractive appearance. The outer cover of the cap has integral side and ear shield portions and is capable of being converted between two conditions, a lirst where the ears of the wearer are uncovered and a second where the ear shields cover the ears. lDue to the unique construction of this cap it fits snugly around the ears of the wearer, is sturdy in construction, and has an attractive appearance regardless of how it is worn.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with accompanying gures of the drawing, in which:

FIGURE l is a side view in elevation of a cap constructed in accordance with the invention with the ear shields in the raised condition;

FIGURE 2 is another side view in elevation of the cap with the ear shields in the lowered condition;

FIGURE 3 is a rear view in elevation of the cap with the ear shields in the lowered condition; and

FIGURE 4 is a cutaway View further showing the construction of the cap.

A hat constructed in accordance with the invention has an outer cover material and an inner lining. The outer cover includes a body member that has a front side portion 10i and a back side portion 11. These two portions 10 and 11 are stitched together along the line where they overlap to form a side seam 12, there being a similar construction and seam on the opposite side of the cap (not shown). A substantially circular top piece or crown 'E3 is joined to the two portions lit and 11 by stitching along a line 14 and a bill or visor 16 is also joined to the front side portion lil, once again by stitching along a line 17.

The lower part of the two portions lil and 11 below a hinge line l5, FIGURES 2 and 3, form the ear shields 18 for the cap. The lower edge of the ear shields 18 is protected by an edging 19 and the mating halves 20 and 2l of a snap fastener are fastened to the front side portion 10 and the ear shields iii on each side of the cap.

When the cap is being worn during fair weather conditions the two halves Z and 21 are fastened together on each side of the cap so that the ear shields 18 are in the raised condition shown in FIGURE l. On the other hand, during stormy weather conditions the fasteners are disengaged and the ear shields 18 are turned down to the lowered condition illustrated in FIGURES 2 and 3.

With reference to FIGURES l and 4, the inner construction of the cap includes a facing material 22 that covers the ear shields 18 and a quilted innerlining 23 that covers the crown 13 and the front and rear side portions ltl and 11. A lightweight canvaslike material 24 is fastened to the ear shields 18 between the facing 22 and the outer cover, and a strip 25 of sizing material is fastened inside of a fold or hem Z6 of the facing material 22.

In a preferred method of assembling the cap, the front and rear portions 10 and 1-1 of the outer cover are first sewed together on each side along the seam 12. Then the canvaslike material 24 is basted to the outer cover at the ear shields 1S. The edging 19 and the sizing 25 are then fastened in place, with the facing 22 being attached to the outer cover. Next, the crown 13 is stitched to the front and back portions 10 and 11, and the visor 16 is sewed to the front portion 10. Finally, the lining 23 is stitched to the facing 22 in such a manner that the stitching does not go through the outer cover and is stitched to the front portion of the cap in such a manner that the stitching goes through the cover material and the visor 16.

As can be seen from the drawing, the seam 12 that joins the front and rear portions iii and 1l does not form a straight line. Instead, it is purposely formed so that the ends of the seam bow in the direction of the front of the cap and the visor 16. This construction tends to canse the lower ends of the ear shields 18 to turn inwardly when the cap is in the lower condition as illustrated in FIGURES 2 and 3. The inward turning gives a hugging effect on the neck of the wearer. This is accomplished by making the edges of the respective front and rear panels 10 and 11 of different curvature. The ear shields 18 then completely enclose the ears of the wearer and protect them. Additionally, the use of the canvaslike material 24 and the sizing material 25 tends to keep the hat in its proper shape and prevents stretching, which would impair the caps usefulness.

It is apparent that the unique cap construction described provides numerous advantages. The cap has a very simple construction which provides a snug t, and, since an integral construction is used for the side and ear shield members, the cap is much neater and warmer than most.

It will be apparent that modiiication and variations may be effected without departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the present invention. For example, the materials used for the outer cover can be plastic, wood, etc. The material used for the outer cover can also be used for the facing 22, although if a plastic material is used for the cover it would be preferable to use a more comfortable material such as cotton or wool for the facing. Also if a relatively soft, pliable material is used for the outer cover it would be preferable to provide additional stitching running parallel to the seam 12.

Instead of the snap fasteners described the ear shields or flaps may be fastened up with a variety of fasteners such as grommets, buttons, etc. Further, the fasteners may be dispensed with entirely since the arcuate seam feature ensures that the ear shields will be cupped close to the body or crown of the cap.

l' claim as my invention:

l. In a cap construction having a visor,

a top piece having rounded front and rear ends, front and rear panels together with said top piece forming a crown adapted to cover the back of the head of a wearer, the rear panel having a downward extension adapted to cover the back of the neck and the said front panel having downward extensions at the sides to cover the sides of the face, the side edges of the front and rear panels being joined together by an arcuate seam extending downwardly from the top piece through the said extensions,

the portion of the searn joining the extensions causing the lower edge portion of the extensions to turn inwardly, a lining for the crown and a liningtcoextensive with the said extensions,

the lining for the extensions being securedralorng its lower edge to the lower edge of the extensions and along its upper edge to the lower edge of the lining for the crown,

the seamalong the upper edge of the lining extension 'forming a hinge line adapting theextension Vto be folded upwardly in head-engaging position.

2. In a cap construction as denedin claim,1,said `visor secured to the lower edge of said front panel between the downward extensions at the sides of the front panel.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Gross Dec. 16, 1924 Rosenberg et al. Aug. 16, 1927 Marder et al Mar. 25, 1947 Mrilstein v l r 1an. 2G, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS Canada Mar. 13, 1917 Switzerland Man l, 1938 

1. IN A CAP CONSTRUCTION HAVING A VISOR, A TOP PIECE HAVING ROUNDED FRONT AND REAR ENDS, FRONT AND REAR PANELS TOGETHER WITH SAID TOP PIECE FORMING A CROWN ADAPTED TO COVER THE BACK OF THE HEAD OF A WEARER, THE REAR PANEL HAVING A DOWNWARD EXTENSION ADAPTED TO COVER THE BACK OF THE NECK AND THE SAID FRONT PANEL HAVING DOWNWARD EXTENSIONS AT THE SIDES TO COVER THE SIDES OF THE FACE, THE SIDE EDGES OF THE FRONT AND REAR PANELS BEING JOINED TOGETHER BY AN ARCUATE SEAM EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY FROM THE TOP PIECE THROUGH THE SAID EXTENSIONS, THE PORTION OF THE SEAM JOINING THE EXTENSIONS CAUSING THE LOWER EDGE PORTION OF THE EXTENSIONS TO TURN INWARDLY, A LINING FOR THE CROWN AND A LINING COEXTENSIVE WITH THE SAID EXTENSIONS, THE LINING FOR THE EXTENSIONS BEING SECURED ALONG ITS LOWER EDGE TO THE LOWER EDGE OF THE EXTENSIONS AND ALONG ITS UPPER EDGE TO THE LOWER EDGE OF THE LINING FOR THE CROWN, THE SEAM ALONG THE UPPER EDGE OF THE LINING EXTENSION FORMING A HINGE LINE ADAPTING THE EXTENSION TO BE FOLDED UPWARDLY IN HEAD-ENGAGING POSITION. 